We trace Stephen Smith’s journey from analyst at Leinster Rugby to founding Kitman Labs and building league-wide systems that put evidence at the heart of athlete welfare and performance.
Along the way, we discuss friction with tradition, mentorship, scaling globally, and why leagues now view themselves as talent businesses.
• Moving from gut feel to objective decision-making in elite sport
• The early friction between medical staff, coaches, and data
• Catalysts that proved the model beyond Leinster
• Mentors, hiring like a coach, and scaling a team
• Relocating to Silicon Valley and learning fast
• First believers: Everton, IRFU, and building a product with customers
• League-wide platforms for medicine, operations, and development
• Why competitive balance and talent pathways drive league economics
• Culture, home, and perspective between Ireland and California
• Quickfire: sport memories, books, music, and a dream dinner table
Image Credit: Sport for Business
Further Reading for Sport for Business members:
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